Just my imagination
by thekeeperofwords
Summary: A short romance fic between PerinDaine. Right between EM and ROTG. Perin speculates on how Daine seemed too important a person for him. DP DN


**Just my Imagination**

(A/n: yup, I WILL update my other stories. Eventually. I'm not as dependable as I used to be, huh? Um…*don't kill me!* this is a D/Perin and hints of D/N. SO…enjoy. I'm pretty sure it's a one-shot. If you like it I may possibly turn it into a real story. Set in the time between EM and ROTG. And I know I probably put Beltane during the wrong time of year. So shoot me)

He sat there every night. Waiting. Watching. Hoping. But he knew tonight would be different. Beltane was in a week, Midwinter in a month-and-a-half. A ray of candlelight suddenly hit his eyes as the door in front of him cracked open. Hurriedly Perin bent over his parchment, scribbling random notes.

"Of course, Jon," he heard a girl laugh. "I couldn't forget."

"Stop teasing her, Jon." A different voice. Male. Perin scowled. "She doesn't have to have someone on Beltane!" Everyone in the room laughed.

The door to the council room opened wider, allowing its occupants to file out. First came the King and Queen, Gareth and Gary of Naxen, Raoul of Goldenlake, Alanna the Lioness, and Buri, the commander of the Queen's Riders. None of them paid any attention to the scribe there, busy at work. Finally came Numair Salmalin and Daine Sarrasri, deep in conversation. Perin straightened up with a groan of fatigue, flexing his sore hands.

"How are you, Perin?" Daine asked. She had noticed him. "I've seen you here quite often. Is there something particular that you're working on? Something you need help with?"

Perin glanced at his notes. At the bottom of the page it read:

'_Supply and soldier count for Lord Marquell._'

He smiled wryly. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I'd beg for a moment of your time to help me with supply and soldier counts. I've heard it around that you became quite familiar with it at Dunlath…" Perin trailed off as Daine frowned thoughtfully.

"Well, of course I could. Of course, we'd have to do it now, if you didn't mind." She waited for his answer. Numair cleared his throat.

"Well, Daine, if you're not coming I think I'll head back to my rooms to finish that letter to Kaddar," the mage said.

She nodded and helped Perin collect his sheaves of paper as Numair walked away. For a moment Perin and Daine's hands touched. The Wildmage blushed as the clerk hid his smile. Just as they were ready to leave, Perin's friend Hamish hurried up to them, slightly out of breath.

"Perin!" he exclaimed. "And…Lady Daine? Well, I just finished Lord Marquell's counts." The short clerk held out several rolls of sealed parchment. "They're ready for delivery."

Perin shrugged, looking cautiously at Daine. He slowly took the papers from his friend. "Well, sorry about that Daine. I guess--"

"I'll come with you to deliver it, if you'd like," the girl offered. She brushed her smoky brown curls away from her face. Hamish chuckled. 

"Have a good night, Lady Daine." He bowed and exited quickly.

"Well, we should get going," Daine suggested when Perin made no effort to move. He shook his head, as if to clear it.

"Of course."

************ *

After he had walked Daine to her rooms, Perin retired to his own room. For long moments he sat on the edge of his bed, thinking. He finger-combed his ear-length, light brown hair away from his emerald eyes.

"Was it just my imagination?" He asked himself. "Or did she actually want to stay with me?"

************ *

Beltane came on the last nice day of fall. (a/n: see what I mean?) Daine was sitting with Numair in the Rider's Mess when Perin came up behind her. Numair gently elbowed his student. She turned around with a small smile on her face.

"Perin! How nice to see you!" She said, eyes lit.

"And how ironic that he should visit you _today_…" Numair grumbled. If Perin heard him, he ignored it.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" the clerk suggested. Daine accepted happily.

They walked into the forest to a clearing that Daine knew about from her animal friends. There, they sat and talked. After an hour or so, the two stood up to walk back. Perin caught Daine's hand. Slowly, carefully, he leaned in and kissed her. She drew a deep breath in surprise, but Perin didn't let up. Finally he took a step back. Daine's cheeks were flushed.

"What's Beltane without a kiss?" Perin asked her softly.

************ *

On the first day of midwinter Perin came to Daine's rooms with a single rose. When she opened the door, he stepped inside. She mumbled something about 'not being a good idea' but he paid no heed. The flower was thrown on a dresser as Perin pressed Daine towards the bed. She resisted half-heartedly. Quite suddenly the door connecting Daine's rooms to Numair's. The couple stopped dead in their tracks.

Numair stuck his head into her rooms, bright red with embarrassment? Rage? Daine couldn't read his expression.

"The King needs us, Magelet," Numair said boldly. In the minutes that followed, Perin was forgotten as Daine and Numair gathered their things. As they walked towards Jon's chambers, Numair slung a protective arm around Daine's shoulders.

************ *

In the months after Perin saw neither Daine nor Numair more than a glance at a distance.

"It was just my imagination," Perin told himself. "She's too important for the likes of me."

By the first spring melts Daine was caught up in the oncoming war and tide of immortals. Perin often speculated on what he had with her. Every time he saw her coming out of one of the King's Meetings, or practicing weapons with the Lioness, he doubted that he ever had a chance. By early summer Daine and Numair had both disappeared. Everyone at the palace was worried. Perin was as well. They showed up a month later. The next time Perin saw Daine, she was in Numair's arms, kissing him as Perin had once dreamed of kissing her.

"Was it just my imagination, running away with me…?"


End file.
